Bell peppers burst with flavor

Hot weather may encourage a cooling trend in some kitchens, but my thoughts turn to salsa, gazpacho and the burning sting of peppers. I guess this is like applying capsacian to alleviate pain. The natural chemical found in peppers has been found to turn off pain receptors. So hot you don’t feel the burn? Well, peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic and cilantro signal the beginning of the hot weather season for me. The stuffed pepper recipe I used originally didn’t call for hot peppers, but you can feel free to add them.

This is one of my favorite recipes. I love the combination of tomato, beef and rice spilling out of the overstuffed pepper and blending with the melted cheese on top. The bold flavors recall images of all the best vegetables in a garden. After one bite, I close my eyes and envision: bell peppers hanging from the pepper plant, the sun beating down on its smooth green skin. I can almost smell the sharp and distinctive bell pepper scent assaulting my nostrils and making my taste buds water.

I can smell the acidic tomato juice as it bubbles along with onions baking in the oven. This dish is super filling and satisfying. I took a little liberty with the ground beef filling this time, prompting diners to ask what was different. They liked the change and subtle flavor lent by a dusting of ground sage as the meat was browning in a skillet alongside some sweet vidalia onions.

Another great thing about this recipe is its versatility. You can dream so many different combinations for the filling. Add some chicken in place of beef, or substitute beans to make it a vegetarian offering.

Here’s my favorite version. If you have a favorite filling variety, share it below. I’d love to hear your stuffing ideas.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

4 bell peppers

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 pound ground beef

Pinch ground sage

1 cup chopped vidalia onion

1 box prepared Uncle Ben’s Long Grain & Wild Rice

1 cup tomato sauce

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Bring a large pan of water to boil. Remove top of pepper and hollow out the insides, making sure to scrape out seeds. Boil peppers 7 minutes. Add canola oil to skillet and brown beef and sprinkle ground sage as it cooks; add onion. Prepare rice according to package instructions. Stir in rice and tomato sauce.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place peppers upright in a casserole dish. Spoon rice and beef mixture into bell peppers. Leftover mixture may be added around the peppers. Bake for 20 minutes, adding shredded cheese for the last five minutes or until melted.

Servings: 4.

Suggested stuffings:

• Mexican – ground beef, guacamole, salsa, queso, pinto beans
• Italian – spicy sausage, diced tomatoes, oregano
• Asian – steamed white rice, broccoli, shredded beef or chicken, scallions
• Mediterranean – olive oil, feta cheese, artichoke hearts

Bell peppers are filled to the brim with a beef and tomato mixture

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Posted by admin on Jun 17 2010. Filed under Seasonal. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry